By the way, I love you
by Xment2bursX
Summary: Suggestive material is everywhere. ShikaNeji/NejiShika. Yaoi. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own. D8**

**Summary:Suggestive material is everywhere. ShikaNeji/NejiShika. Yaoi. Oneshot.**

**Note:My muse is a very tricksy person. You don't even want to _know _where this came from. XD **

**By the way, I love you.**

It was one of those rare peaceful days in Kohona where the weather was fine, the people were well-tempered and a calm week meant that most ninjas had the day off. After a morning of training for some teams - meaning team Gai - and some perfectionist ninjas - meaning Sasuke -, the known group of 'Kohona twelve' met up after lunch to spend some too-rare time together.

Shikamaru had been on the hill all morning anyway, and was met by Ino and Chouji for lunch. An hour or so later, Sakura came into view with Kiba and Akamaru, obviously having met them on the way up the hill. Sasuke was next, appearing in the tree above them without anyone noticing for several minutes. Shino and Hinata came from the opposite direction from Sakura and Kiba, Hinata wearing her best casual dress. Team Gai trailed towards them around half an hour later - Lee bounding ahead to great them all enthusiastically - all slightly muddy and still sweaty. Finally, Naruto showed, apologising profoundly for being late from his lunch with Iruka-sensei.

The blond being there, the conversation immediately started. "I would have been even later if Kakashi-sensei hadnt appeared to..." The boy wrinkled his nose. "_Steal_ Iruka-sensei." He gave Sakura and Sasuke a dark look. "I don't like how much time they're spending together."

Sakura sighed as everyone else started to settle around comfortably. The exams over and no one thinking each other as enemies anymore, they sat in random orders though not far from their teams, as was custom. Hinata and Shino, clutching hands, a foot or so behind Kiba who was next to Ino and TenTen - sharing dirty grins with the latter. Chouji hadn't moved from his position next to Shikamaru, even as Neji slipped gracefully down on the lazy genius' other side, a pale finger tracing his hand affectionately. Lee flopped down in front of the tree, close to Sakura as the pink girl looked up at the still standing Naruto.

"Sensei wont do anything, Naruto." she faultered, seeing his disbelief. "Well, nothing too bad."

Above them all, Sasuke chuckled, drawing attention to himself and talking for the first time since he had arrived. "Iruka-sensei can take care of himself, dobe. He taught us all and is still walking, after all."

Grudgingly accepting this, Naruto scrambled up the tree - no point in using chakra when your hands did the job, in his eyes - to plop down into Sasuke's lap. Scowling, the Uchiha shoved him off roughly but gave in quickly when his rival leaning lazily against him.

They chatted idly as the day continued; about town gossip - the boys pretended not to listen intently -, about how nice it was to have days off, about why Sasuke and Neji were classed as Bishies in the village - much to the dismay of the two boys - about the unfairness of their teachers and about Hinata finally meeting Shino's parents.

Chouji, seeing that Hinata was too busy being pressed for information from Sakura and Ino, raised an eyebrow at Neji. "And your uncle is OK with her and Shino?"

Blank eyes continued to watch the sky, unblinking even as TenTen snickered; bringing the attention to her. "He's lost." She informed them, pointing up. Lee let out a small 'Oh.' and smiled widely. "He's seen a bird."

The other nine - eight if you exclude Shikamaru who was still watching the clouds while listening - looked up, spotting the soaring dark bird easily against the blue part of the sky. Twelve pairs of eyes focused on it, conversation dead as they sat in comfortable silence with each other. The bird swerved, changing direction completely and all the eyes followed as it dove slightly, wings pressed against its body as it flew into a thick cloud and disappeared from sight.

They all blinked at the slight. But the now-uncomfortable silence was short lived as Sasuke, smirking, chuckled softly. "Well," He stated. "That was only slightly suggestive."

Naruto slapped the boy's arm as the girls - minus Hinata, who was blushing, and plus Kiba and Lee - giggled, delighted and Chouji, who was inching away anyway, was yanked by his scarf by Ino.

Large pale eyes blinked at them. Neji, confused, paused before looking down at his and Shikamaru's joined hands. The other boy, noticing this, followed suit. Dark eyes looked at the hands, to the sky and to the hands again before snorting lightly.

"Troublesome perverts."

Neji, still looking thoughtfully down at their hands, said nothing. He missed a beat, two, three, while thinking. Then he lent forwards, pressing his lips close enough to touch Shikamaru's ear as he breathed, amused.

"Love you."

A small smile playing at his lips, he brushed them across the Nara's cheek before leaning back, to watch the rare blush run over the lazy boy's cheeks and nose.

Well aware of their 'so-entranced-that-they're-holding-their-breath' audience, Shikamaru swallowed hard.

"...T-troublesome Hyuuga!"

Laughing softly, Neji shifted, now laying in the soft grass; his free and moving to rest under his head. Shikamaru watched him for a second before sighing, leaning back on his elbows.

"Love you too." He muttered, eyes pointedly at the clouds again.

Above them, another bird flew into a cloud. Sasuke snorted and was roughly shoved by Naruto, the pair falling to the ground as Sasuke grabbed onto his friends jacket.

Neji ignored them and the others as conversation flew back on, smiling.

**Note: Every time I wrote 'cloud' I wanted to put it with a capital 'C'. I luffles Cloud far too much XD **

**I hope you liked it, Caz! And all you other NejiShika/ShikaNeji fans!**

**Reviews are love.**

**x**


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